Betting Preview of the 2019 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier with DraftKings Advice

By Michael Wynn

| September 10, 2019

Get ready for an action-packed weekend of golf filled with loads of betting
opportunities. In fact, the 2019 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier isn’t your
only way of betting golf this week.

Feel free to check out my post dedicated to 2019 Solheim Cup odds and
predictions if you want to expose yourself to a bunch of drama on the other side
of the pond.

Those of you looking for matchup picks and DFS advice for DraftKings
regarding this week’s PGA Tour event, I got you covered. I’ll highlight the guys
I expect to play well at The Old White TPC Course in White Sulphur Springs, and
of course, give you my ultimate prediction for who will be sitting atop the
FedEx Cup Points standings after the first week of the year.

Let’s begin this betting preview of the 2019 A Military Tribute at The
Greenbrier by peeking at the odds to win.

2019 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier Odds

Some of the
top-rated golf betting sites have installed Viktor Hovland as a co-favorite
with Bryson DeChambeau, so that tells you all you need to know as far as what is
expected out of the 21-year-old Norwegian rookie.

Bryson DeChambeau +1200

Viktor Hovland+1400

Jason Kokrak+1600

Joaquin Niemann+2500

Marc Leishman+2500

Sungjae Im+2500

Bubba Watson +2800

Byeong Hun An+2800

Kevin Na+3300

Russell Henley+3300

Keegan Bradley+4000

Scott Piercy+4000

Scottie Scheffler+4000

Brian Harman+5000

Cameron Smith+5000

Harold Varner III+5000

Martin Laird+5000

Robert Streb+5000

Austin Cook+6600

Bud Cauley+6600

Denny McCarthy+6600

Joel Dahmen+6600

Kevin Streelman+6600

Russell Knox+6600

Sam Burns+6600

Tom Lewis+6600

Zach Johnson+6600

Click to Open

What Is the Current State of Bryson DeChambeau’s Game?

Bryson may have finished in a tie for 12th at the season-ending
TOUR Championship, but he missed the cut at the Open Championship and failed to
crack the top-45 in Memphis the following week. DeChambeau never even broke 70
at
Medinah at the BMW Championship despite a handful of players firing all four
rounds in the 60s.

The good news is the “Mad Scientist” is always tinkering and could snap out
of the funk at the drop of a hat. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him play well,
but there’s no way I’d invest when I only see a +1200 return on my money. There
is simply too much value out there with other names and their prices.

Who Offers Value?

Kramer Hickock missed exactly half his cuts (13/26) as a
rookie last year on the PGA Tour, and he only landed in the top 10 a single time
all year long. Nevertheless, if you want a guy riding some good vibes lately who
could be ready to break out, he’s your man?

Jordan Spieth’s former roommate finished 161st in the FedEx Cup
standings and needed to make a serious move at the Korn Ferry Finals if he
planned on securing his playing status for the upcoming year. Kramer did just
that going 19th-5th-3rd during the
three-tournament stretch.

Listed at +6600 in some spots, grab hold of Hickock at +8000 on
MyBookie.ag and
you just might be in for a sweat.

Another Sleeper to Consider

You know who led the PGA Tour in strokes gained: putting this past season? It
actually wasn’t Jordan Spieth – he finished second. It was Denny
McCarthy, and I sense that Denny is ready to pounce in White Sulphur
Springs.

The University of Virginia grad played his college golf less than two hours
east from this week’s venue, so familiarity with the playing conditions won’t be
a problem. Obviously, the strength of McCarthy’s game revolves around his
chipping and putting, which kind of reminds me of the guy who won the last time
we were at the Old White TPC – Kevin Na.

With a +6600 price attached, why not take a flier on Denny?

My Pick to Win the 2019 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier Is…

There are a few guys who will be trying to impress Ernie Els in hopes of
receiving a call that they’ll be on their way to Melbourne. Have a look at my
2019 Presidents Cup odds and predictions post. You’ll see that I mentioned
Joaquin Niemann as a guy who desperately would love to compete for the
International Team. Branden Grace has been part of each of the last three
Presidents Cups and doesn’t want to miss out playing for a dear friend like
Ernie.

Sungjae Im has probably already captured Els’ attention, but he could lock up
his spot on the squad with a win this week. Don’t be shocked if that’s exactly
what the 21-year-old “ironman” does. Im was the only rookie to qualify for
East Lake, and nothing suggests that his marvelous play won’t carry over
into the new campaign. Here’s a guy who not only led the PGA Tour in birdies
made in 2018/2019, but he made 83 more birdies than any other player on
tour.

Pick

Sungjae Im

+2500

Matchup Picks To Target

There are several head-to-head matchups to choose from at The Greenbrier, but
the three below were the ones I found myself circling back to the most.

Tom Lewis vs. Robert Streb

Tom Lewis looked brilliant en route to capturing the Korn Ferry Tour
Championship. However, if you do your homework and examine the situation
closely, you might seem some serious value lying with Robert Streb.

Tom Lewis vs. Robert Streb

head-to-head matchup

Tom Lewis-125

Robert Streb+105

Taking nothing against Lewis, but the 28-year-old Englishman has never played
in a PGA Tour event that wasn’t a major or a WGC. Being an active member of the
PGA Tour and playing a “regular events” on this side of the pond is a new role
for Tom; one that could take some time settling into.

Flip the coin and The Old White TPC appears to be tailor-made for Robert
Streb.

Streb hasn’t lifted the hardware in White Sulphur Springs just yet, but he’s
been the runner-up twice and finished 11th in his three most recent
trips. As much promise as Lewis has, it’s hard to ignore such positive course
history. It’s blatantly obvious that Robert loves the layout, and it helps that
Streb has recorded a pair of top-fives over the last 6 weeks.

I wouldn’t be excited about laying juice on Robert in this spot, but
I’ll gladly invest thanks to
BetOnline.ag
laying it for me!

Pick

Robert Streb

+105

Zach Johnson vs. Ryan Armour

The only reason Zach Johnson is a substantial betting favorite over Ryan
Armour in this matchup is because of his name and pedigree. If you simply go by
the “what have you done for me lately” theory, you’ll see that Armour offers
tons of value sitting at +115.

Zach Johnson vs. Ryan Armour

head-to-head matchup

Zach Johnson-135

Ryan Armour+115

I only back Ryan Armour selectively, and a shortish par-70 track with just
two par 5s on the card is the perfect time to hop on board. Last time in White
Sulphur Springs, Armour was inside the top 10 heading into Sunday before
stumbling a bit into a T-21st finish. He also accounted for 7 top 25s
last season and cracked the top 100 in the final FedEx Cup standings.

As for Zach Johnson, the two-time major winner? Unfortunately, his game is a
bit lost.

Just 3 top 25s and a lone top 10 signaled “ZJ’s” worst season since he became
an established professional in 2004. Zach ranked 180th in GIR and 157th
in total putting – which isn’t a good recipe for success when a guy is already
one of the shortest hitters around.

It’d be nice to see Johnson snap out of his funk, but I have more faith that
Ryan Armour will be the one who ends up delivering a solid finish.

Pick

Ryan Armour

+115

Scott Piercy vs. Russell Henley

In order to sustain a profit betting golf matchups, you generally need to
avoid the instances where you are coughing up -110 or -120 all the time. You
need to discover value with guys sitting at even money, and even be willing to
gamble on those lurking in the “plus territory.”

Take a look below.

Scott Piercy vs. Russell Henley

head-to-head matchup

Scott Piercy-120

Russell Henley+100

Scott Piercy had a terrific year on the PGA Tour in 2019, but if you
scrutinize his game log under a microscope, you’ll notice that he tapered off
dramatically at the end. Case in point – Scott finished inside the top 35 just
once over his final six starts. At the 2018 Greenbrier Classic, Piercy landed in
a tie for 74th.

At that same golf tournament, Russell Henley finished solo 10th on
the heels of a final round 63, and there is no denying his love affair at “The
Old White.” Not only does Henley own a pair of top 5s at this event, but he
hasn’t shot a round over par at The Greenbrier since way back in 2013!

Pick

Russell Henley

+100

DFS Advice for DraftKings

While a lot of people are busy playing fantasy football, DraftKings hasn’t
forgotten about how many faithful golf enthusiasts there are out there. That’s
why for just $8, you can enter a lineup into the PGA Tour $300K Best Ball GPP
with the chance of winning the grand prize worth a cool $100,000.

Here are some golfers I’d recommend rostering, starting with the top-tier of
highest-priced players.

Marc Leishman – $10,200

Jason Kokrak is going to be an extremely popular play, but I’d rather click
on Marc Leishman instead to head my lineup.

Not only will you save $300 in salary, but you’d be latching onto a guy who
has won four times over the last two years alone.

Sungjae Im – $9,800

Why spend over $11k on Bryson DeChambeau when a more consistent individual is
available at 1,300 bucks cheaper?

Sungjae Im rang up 16 top-25s last season including seven top-10s, plus he
played well during the FedEx Cup Playoffs that just ended last month.

Joaquin Niemann – $9,700

A missed cut at the British Open was the only tournament over his last 11
starts on the PGA Tour in which Joaquin Niemann didn’t register a top-31 finish.
Niemann might be a bit under the radar in terms of the potential picks Ernie Els
will make in November, but a strong performance at The Greenbrier would go a
long way toward stamping his ticket.

Now I’ll transition into the middle tier and focus on three more names who I
project will play well in West Virginia.

Denny McCarthy – $8,200

I raved about Denny McCarthy being the best putter on the PGA Tour last year,
but I didn’t reveal that he notched 8 top 25s as a rookie on the big stage.

McCarthy should be much more comfortable after a full season under his belt,
and I doubt it takes him long to assert himself. He’s especially free to do so
during weeks where the “cream of the crop” isn’t in the field.

Kramer Hickock – $7,700

If you take stock in riding a hot streak, know that Kramer logged a 5th
at the Albertsons Boise Open three weeks ago, and know that he tallied a 3rd
at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship after that. Many in the field are
first-timers who will be soaking up the experience, but Kramer doesn’t fit that
category.

The sophomore on the PGA Tour knows what to expect and is ready to
breakthrough.

Sepp Straka – $7,600

Sepp Straka was enduring a fairly uneventful rookie year on the PGA Tour, but
a trio of top-12 finishes in the latter part of the season meant Sepp had done
enough to retain his card. Ranked 22nd in driving distance and 26th
in GIR, all it takes is a hot week with the putter and Straka could be in the
mix on a Sunday.

There are lots of intriguing names in the bottom tier, but don’t just take a
stab on a random player in hopes that you catch lightning in a bottle. I’ll give
you three names who names in this price point that caught my attention.

Andrew Landry – $7,400

If you look at the 2018 Greenbrier Classic leaderboard, you’ll see that page
one is overwhelmed by players who I would consider as “the opposite of bombers.”
The Old White TPC is a par 70 featuring just two par 5s, and a premium is placed
on accuracy and scrambling.

If you know anything about Andrew Landry’s golf game, you’ll know he must be
licking his chops at the opportunity beginning this Thursday.

J.J. Spaun – $6,900

The recently married So Cal native is set to embark on his third season on
the PGA Tour, and something tells me it’ll be his best one yet. Spaun finished
13th the last time the Tour was at The Greenbrier, and he has made a
habit out of playing well in the fall portion of the season.

After adding three top-15s in the fall of 2017, J.J. tacked on three more
top-15s in the fall of 2018. I’m excited to see what’s in store from now until
November.

Robby Shelton – $6,400

Robby Shelton is no guarantee to play all four days and contribute a bunch of
points to your lineup, but he sure has an aptitude for playing well when he does
find his name in the hunt (2 wins among four top-4 finishes on the Korn Ferry
Tour in 2019).

The former standout at the University of Alabama has patiently waited for his
turn on the PGA Tour, and my guess is that he seizes this opportunity.

My lineup in GPPs for the 2019 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier

Sungjae Im $9,800

Joaquin Niemann $9,700

Denny McCarthy $8,200

Kramer Hickock $7,700

Andrew Landry $7,400

J. Spaun $6,900

Enjoy the First Event of the 2019/2020 FedEx Cup Season!

I’ll be pumping out PGA Tour betting previews all season long, so bookmark
our blog homepage if you plan
on staying in the loop. For predictions on who will hoist the trophy, matchup
picks to target, and tips for setting a lineup on DK, think of my blog as your
one-stop-shop.